Rescue
by BlueSuedeShoes
Summary: Oliver is feeling a bit over-protective.


He threw her on the back of his bike, uncomfortably aware of the way her skirt slid up, revealing her thighs. He took one look of disgust at the man lying on the ground out cold. Oliver should have done more than that to him for trying to violate Chloe that way.

  He hit the gas harder than was strictly necessary and sped off, Chloe gripping his waist tightly. She leaned in and rested her cheek against his back, taking in the comforting smell of the green leather. She knew he was the Green Arrow and that coming to the rescue was simply what he did, but she was subconsciously convinced that for some reason he made a special point of watching out for her.

  When they finally came to a halt she looked up expecting to be outside of her apartment but received a small shock when she realized they were at Oliver's building instead. He let go of the handlebars and put his hands on her knees, massaging underneath them for a moment, as though to comfort her. A chill ran down her spine that had nothing to do with the cold.

  Oliver dismounted first, pulling her up to meet him once he was standing. For an odd moment she was barely an inch from him, both of their chests rising from the adrenaline rush. He slid his leather-gloved hand across her cheek, looking into her eyes, knowing that she couldn't see beneath his shades.

  When he spoke the sound was deepened by his voice distorter. "Stay with me tonight. I--" he hesitated, not sure how to explain to her how deeply he cared about her. "I won't be able to sleep tonight if I don't know you're safe." It was true. He'd spend the entire night thinking about how close a call it had been. How he almost hadn't been there in time.

  A small crease formed between her brows, and he could see in her eyes how shaken up she still was. Chloe looked long and hard at him, wanting badly to accept his offer, knowing that she only felt safe when he was with her, but she couldn't be sure what was going through his mind in that moment. At length she nodded. Oliver stifled a sigh of relief. He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her flush to him, raising an arm to fire the zip-line to the roof and his penthouse.

  "Hold on tight, Sidekick."

  "Couldn't we just use the--" she was cut off mid sentence when they went flying upward into the night. He set her down gently on the balcony and dislodged the zip-line from the overhanging it was embedded in. He was trying very hard not to think about how good she felt pressed against him. "Door," she finished, a little of the amusement creeping back into her face. That was a relief to see.

  The corner of his lip twitched as he walked past her and opened the glass door for her. "Bit of a giveaway, don't you think, if the concierge sees the Green Arrow walking up to Oliver Queen's penthouse?"

  "Right," she agreed sheepishly, entering his apartment. She stood there a moment, rubbing her arms insecurely, trying to forget what that man had tried to do to her in the alley, and looked around.

  Her silhouette in the moonlight was more tempting than should be decent. He wanted desperately to run his hands over the curves of her body, to have her belong to him entirely, to give him a right to feel so possessive and protective. As it was, he felt foolish and as though he were crossing a line thinking of her the way he did. She'd never indicated to him that she wanted anything more than friendship. He allowed himself to approach her slowly, to rest a comforting hand on her shoulder.

  "Are you going to be all right?"

  She nodded, after a pause. "In the long run, I've been through a lot worse if you really think about it."

  He did, and he chuckled quietly, realizing the knack she had for getting into trouble.

  "I'm just glad you showed up when you did," she added, turning to face him. "Thank you." Her voice was quiet and even timid in a way. It was so different for her usual confidence and sarcasm. Normally she grabbed life by the horns and took no prisoners. Yet here she stood: vulnerable. He wanted nothing more than to enfold her to his chest and let her know that he would never let anything happen to her. Instead he rubbed a calming thumb over the nape of her neck.

  Chloe felt a strange feeling building in her stomach that she couldn't push away. She couldn't remember a time when he had allowed himself to touch her so much. It was making her long for more. Oliver always seemed so guarded around her. She was good at reading people, generally, but he was a closed book to her. Finally she sighed and looked away, wishing he'd take off that hood and his sunglasses so she could see his face. "Do you mind if I borrow something more comfortable to sleep in? This skirt isn't exactly the coziest thing I own."

  Yeah, he thought, but it was probably the sexiest. It was clung to her thighs with a short slit up the side, leaving little to his imagination. "No problem. Take whatever you want from the closet," he said, throat tight. He quickly stepped away from her, trying to get himself under control. She headed to his bedroom.

  Minutes later she returned and he thought he would loose all control. She was wearing one of his dress shirts, buttoned most of the way, her legs nearly completely exposed.

  "Thanks," she said awkwardly. She started to move past him for the couch, but he stopped her, his hand on her stomach, their shoulders touching.

  "Absolutely not. I'll take the couch."

  "Ollie, don't be absurd. I--"

  "Let me be chivalrous, please," he interrupted.

  She had to laugh. "Don't you think rescuing the damsel in distress is more than enough to fill your daily quota without me forcing you out of your bed for the night?"

  He smiled. "It's not open for discussion, Sidekick."

  She heaved a sigh of frustration. "Do you have any idea how impossible it is to argue with you when you're wearing that? I can't see your face and your voice is ten times more intimidating." And sensuous, but never mind that.

  She wanted to smack the smirk off his face when he replied that that was the whole point.

  "Fine," she said, "I'll take them off for you." And before he could protest she had thrown his hood back and removed the shades. "Now turn that blasted thing off," she said, indicating the distorter.

  He did so. "You're no fun, Sidekick. What good is it being Green Arrow if I can't utilize my advantages for more than just hero-work?"

  She pressed her lips together, trying not to laugh. She looked at him and fell silent at the expression on his face. Maybe it had been better when she couldn't see his eyes. There was something intense behind them that she couldn't decipher. She suddenly became aware of the fact that his hand was still on her stomach. Her heart skipped a beat in spite of herself. Quit thinking that way, she ordered herself, there's no point to it.

  Oliver was having an inner battle. He could kiss her and risk frightening her, ruining their friendship, and feeling ashamed for the rest of his life. Or he could not kiss her and go on feeling frustrated like this for the rest of his life.

  Option A it was.

  Chloe released a startled squeal when he swooped down on her without warning. He pressed his lips hard against hers and she thought she would melt into a puddle at his feet. Then, just as suddenly, he stopped. His lips still close to hers he shut his eyes in shame at his own straightforwardness. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't h--"

  "Shut up, Ollie, and don't stop." She slid her fingers into his hair and pulled him back to her. He thought he could see fireworks as she kissed him back, opening her mouth to him. He pulled her body closer and held the small of her back, as though part of him were still afraid she might bolt. They broke apart again, this time breathing more heavily, and he rested his forehead against hers, tilting it downward.

  "I've wanted to do that for longer than you can imagine, Sidekick," he said, his voice husky.

  She could barely think coherently anymore. "I might have a clue," she managed to get out, and the corners of his lips twitched into a smile before he leaned in to kiss her again.


End file.
